Title

Without the Acclaim of Man

Scripture

His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”(Mark 5:31)

Devotional

Those who may stand out in the physical crowd are not necessarily those who stand out in the spiritual realm. We will inevitably notice the loud and the boisterous, the attractive and the splendidly sartorial, but God will always notice the faithful and the hopeful, the obedient and the believing. This woman was not after notice, she was after Jesus; she was not seeking recognition, she was seeking healing. When we proudly seek the acclaim of man, man’s acclaim is our prize. When we humbly seek the presence of God, God’s presence is our reward.
Jesus teaches us that the self-absorbed seek “to be noticed by men.” And that, “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”(1) This woman, without fanfare, sought Jesus and received a wonderful healing and also a place in the history of eternity. If she would have sought the latter, I wonder if she would have received either? Without fanfare, without the notice of man, let us seek to touch even the hem of His garment.